Anime: Sword Art Online – Episode 9 Summary + Review

(“Cook for you after we get married? Max out your own cooking skills.”)

Studio: A-1 Pictures

Genre: Game, MMO, Fantasy, Sc-Fi, Age: 13+

Released: 6th July 2012 – onwards

From the previous episode, Kirito and Asuna run away from the The Gleam Eyes boss. Taking time out to enjoy a meal, Asuna confronts Kirito about his disuse of a shield.

Warning! May contain spoilers!

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Klein and his guild meet Kirito and Asuna, with Klein taking interest in meeting Asuna especially.

(Kirito protects Asuna from more savage MMO players)

The Army, short for the Aincrad Liberation Force guild, show up and demand the maps for the area.

Although under no obligation to give information, Kirito hands it over, warning them that there’s a dangerous boss in the area. They might not be able to handle him.

(The Army decided on cheap uniforms, rather than coolness… or practicality)

The Army ignores Kirito’s warning, and later Kirito and company hear screams from dying men. They run to the boss chamber to see that a lot of players have been destroyed, including the guild’s captain.

Asuna and Klein jump in to help, however both are too weak to do much to the boss.

(Asuna loved her ballet-battle style)

Kirito uses his duel-sword ability defeat the boss by himself.

(Logic: have two swords, can hit twice as fast)

The fight leaves him weak and unconscious. When he wakes up, Asuna hugs him to show how worried she was.

Kirito admits to having secret ability, of duel-blades, that other players can’t have. This is the reason that he doesn’t use a shield.

Klein leads the rest of his guild away, after warning Kirito that gamers are a jealous bunch.

(“No, don’t leave me Kirito! The writers will pair me up with Klein, I just know it…”)

Kirito is summoned by the Knights of Blood, the guild that Asuna is vice-commander of. They want Asuna to remain in her position in their guild, rather than party up with Kirito.

Kirito accepts the duel that Heathcliff proposes, to fight for Asuna’s freedom.

(“Asuna should be in the guild, or we can’t punish her for hanging out with you”)

Overall, the amount of stuff that Sword Art seems to drop at a hat, and expect the viewers to believe, is increasing.

Asuna, the vice-commander of a guild, and a very strong player, is easily defeated by some boss. The same happens with Klein, despite him being in the same position. Kirito, the lead guy jumps in and voila! He has new shiny powers !

Sword Art also falls into shamefully anti-feminist pits, at the various moments of the episode.

In the virtual food scene, which still doesn’t make sense, Asuna has amazing cooking and experimentation, despite being more of a warrior?

Asuna clinging to Kirito like he’ll disappear if she blinks?

Heathcliff asking Kirito to give back his vice-commander like she’s property?

What is it to Kirito or Heathcliff, if Asuna decides to use her own time and leave the guild? Who has the right to say what she should be doing? Neither of them do.

They don’t have to duel over it, or even speak for her, because this is her choice. Or is this concept too modern for 2022?